


Machinations

by meyari



Series: Hospitality [7]
Category: DCU - Comicverse
Genre: Alternate Universe - Slavery, Harems, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-08
Updated: 2011-04-08
Packaged: 2017-10-17 18:50:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/180090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meyari/pseuds/meyari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce returns to the party and deals with the issues Dick's injury has caused.  To his relief, he also manages to begin to make progress in stopping Lionel for good.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Machinations

"She's right," Tim said quietly. "We do need to get back out there."

Bruce took a deep breath and let it out slowly, refusing to allow it to become the tired sigh that he wanted it to be. Sometimes he truly hated the burdens his position imposed upon him but there was nothing that could be done about that. Certain personally repugnant behaviors were expected of him so he would simply have to emulate them well enough to keep his family safe.

"Maybe Roy can stay here," Oliver mused while watching Roy and Dick murmuring together.

"No," Bruce said far too flatly. "I trust him but I do not allow anyone into the harem if I am not here. Tim and Jason will remain, Clark will come with me."

"After we get cleaned up," Clark commented with a wry gesture at the blood staining his veils.

"You'll get cleaned up," Bruce said. "I'll wait until I'm outside to do it."

Tim was the only one who appeared to follow the logic behind that, but Bruce didn't bother explaining that he didn't wish to convey the impression that he'd hugged Clark to reassure him. A proper Lord and Master didn't concern himself with his slaves' emotions, not that Bruce in the slightest accepted that bit of received wisdom.

Bruce herded everyone out, making sure that Clark's veils were properly cleansed before opening the harem doors. Alfred was there with several of the Manor's guards, ensuring that none of the loitering guests (all Lionel's lackeys) tested the doors. They scattered and hurried back to the party the instant that they saw Bruce's thunderous expression. He memorized each of their faces, fully intending to ensure that they never dared something like that at his Manor again. When he turned back to lock the harem doors, Jason, for once, was there properly kneeling. He kept his forehead on the floor until the doors were shut and locked to keep the boys safe.

"Keep the guards on the doors, Alfred," Bruce ordered. "I won't have any more of this nonsense."

"Of course, sir," Alfred said, completely calmly though there was the faintest hint of worry in his eyes. "I've directed the guests to return to the ballroom. Most of them complied instantly. Shall I bring different clothing for you and young Master Roy?"

"Oh, I'm fine," Roy said but his hands shook as he waved off the offer. "Just a quick cleaning spell is good enough for me."

Oliver shrugged that he didn't care one way or the other whether Roy changed clothes, so Bruce nodded approval for that. Alfred snapped his fingers and one of the servants, or actually Cass pretending that she was a servant instead of one of Bruce's secret warriors, stepped forward and offered Roy and Bruce spell crystals that would remove the blood from their clothing. The crystal removed the gore but left his tunic rumpled and ruined. Nothing would fix the dark satin but Bruce had no interest in taking the time to change clothes right now.

Bruce was too aware of the open ballroom doors and the many eyes watching them. The few Lords and Ladies who followed the old ways looked at him with sympathy but the majority of the guests in the ballroom followed Lionel's ways and they looked more like sharks scenting blood in the water. Ever since Lionel took the throne, the nobility had fallen into decadent, evil ways, always firmly encouraged by King Lionel.

Despite their hungry curiosity, nearly every eye turned away when Bruce strode back into the ballroom with Clark's leash firmly gripped in his hand. They knew him as a Lord who protected what was his and who brooked no disobedience. From some of the looks he got out of the corner of his eye, they were busily entertaining themselves with all the ways that Dick would be punished for his behavior.

Ignoring them, Bruce scanned the party for Lionel. He was standing by the punchbowl, smirking at Bruce and, much more irritatingly, Clark. Lex's hand brushed against Bruce's arm, distracting him from the urge to go over and smash a fist into Lionel's face. There were more important things than Bruce's desire to destroy the man who had harmed his beloved, especially if Lex was right that Lionel had been possessed or replaced by some sort of changeling.

"Perhaps a drink," Lex said in his princely voice, the one that Bruce used to tease him about when they were young and in the Academy together, long before Lex actually was a prince.

"Feel free," Bruce growled at him. "I think that there are people who need lessons in proper behavior, not to mention discovering who would dare to attack one of my slaves."

"You cannot possibly think that one of us is to blame for this evening's excitement," Lionel drawled from across the room. "You shouldn't blame your guests for your failure to maintain control."

"One of the people here dared to drag _my_ slave from this house," Bruce snarled angrily enough that Lionel's cronies backed away from both Lionel and Bruce. "Someone dared to attempt to use him, dared to attack him when he struggled and then was such a coward that they couldn't own up to the action. What my slave did to create the opportunity is entirely separate from the actions of the person who harmed him."

Lionel sneered as if he thought that was the most specious argument that he'd ever heard. In his view of the world it probably was, as he took every opportunity he could get to obtain what he wanted, no matter who was hurt in the process. Rather than focusing on Lionel's response, Bruce watched the other nobles' reactions. Most of them seemed to agree with Lionel but there were a handful that nodded their agreement with Bruce.

Lord Hal Jordan looked as though he would be glad to help Bruce track down the mythical attacker. Lord Katar Hol and his Lady Shayera were scanning the occupants of the room as if they already knew who it had to be and intended to drag him before Bruce for justice. In the farthest corner of the ballroom from Lionel, Lord Arthur Curry and Master Barry Allen looked as though they were bracing for an attack.

"You can hardly blame the person who did this for taking the opportunity they were given," Lionel said with a snort of disdain.

"I can and do blame them," Bruce said. "I will find out who did it and they will pay for it. Moreover, every single person who dared to set foot in my harem without permission had best be prepared to join them. I do not tolerate such disrespect."

"Then I wonder if we'll get to see your boy's punishment tonight," Lionel asked in entirely too intrigued a tone.

"Certainly not," Bruce said with a snort of his own. "Never punish in the heat of the moment. It's always best to wait until one has a calm, clear mind and the guilty party has had time to… ponder their fate."

Pretty much everyone in the room shuddered at that, even Clark. For once, Lionel looked almost approving. The images likely going through his head on what 'ponder their fate' meant probably included making Dick clean the whip before he was beaten and spending a day contemplating how much it would hurt but Bruce couldn't care less about that. Let them all assume what they wanted. He had work to do.

Oliver had already pulled Roy away, going to talk to Lord Hal, so obviously he realized that they had one potential ally there. Lex bowed ever so slightly to Bruce and went to his father's side, muttering something warning and urgent in his ear. As he had a role to play, Bruce strode into the crowd and began to question practically everyone he could get his hands on as to what they'd been doing and whether they'd left the ballroom since they arrived. None of them admitted to anything as they were all truthfully innocent but it furthered his reputation as being tough and not especially bright.

It made for a very uncomfortable party for his guests, but Bruce knew perfectly well that the vast majority of them were not on the invite list. Lionel had brought them along as part of his entourage, though he thanked God that his gruesome Joker had been left behind. Bruce doubted that he would have been able to control his rage if he'd been confronted with that laughing monster so soon after Dick's injury.

As Bruce worked his way through the crowd, Cass appeared at his side with a drink and a discrete note tucked into Bruce's hand. She went away again just as quietly, like a shadow drifting through the crowd. The note had Stephanie's information on who had entered the harem with Lionel, so after studying it Bruce strode off into the crowd in hunt of those interlopers.

"Get out of my house," Bruce snapped at Lord Thomas Elliot, the first on the list Stephanie had sent him. "You are no longer welcome in Wayne Manor."

"You can't be serious," Thomas said, his uncertainty clear despite how he tried to firm his voice. "No one can leave before his Majesty does."

"If you don't leave," Bruce snarled at him, his knuckles hurting from his grip on Clark's leash, "I'll challenge you right here."

Thomas jerked and backed off a step, his face going pale. The challenges that Lionel had instituted when he became King had become his cronies' favorite way to gain money and power. Bruce knew that, knew that they cheated and was more than happy to use their own tools against them, especially since he knew that he could defeat them easily on his home ground where they couldn't cheat.

Around them, the other nobles who'd invaded his harem shifted nervously. Bruce allowed his shoulders to tighten as he clenched his jaw. Lionel pushed away from the wall and casually waved for Lex to follow him. Lex snorted and smirked at Bruce. The crowd parted before them as Lionel's entourage gathered protectively around the King and his heir.

"I hardly think such dramatics are necessary," Lionel drawled. His hands betrayed his true feelings as they were clenched into tight fist. "I believe it's time for us to leave anyway. Thank you for the… interesting evening, Lord Wayne."

He strolled out of the ballroom, trailing Lords and courtiers behind him. Thomas left with a faint sketch at a bow, hurrying so that he wouldn't be left behind to face Bruce's wrath. In less than ten minutes the lot of them were gone, most returning to their homes by magical gates, though a few rode off in carriages. The ballroom echoed once they were gone, as only a handful of Lords and Ladies remained behind.

"Thank goodness," Master Barry sighed. "I swear, I thought he'd never leave. The boy is going to survive, right?"

"Indeed," Lord Arthur said as he came over to stand with Bruce and Clark. "That is the question of the night."

"He'll live," Bruce said, sighing as Cass appeared at the door and nodded that no one had snuck away to cause trouble in the Manor or gardens. "Our healer has spells working on him currently but there was quite a lot of internal damage done."

"Do you know who did it?" Lady Shayera asked. "My husband and I would be glad to help bring the ruffian to justice."

"King Lionel would not allow that," Bruce said with a wry smile that probably didn't look anything like a smile. "The culprit is… favored by our illustrious ruler."

They frowned, offended by that but not surprised. Before anyone could ask anything else, Alfred appeared at the door. He smiled that confident smile that had made Bruce feel that nothing could harm him as a child. Despite the fact that Alfred had been freed during Bruce's grandparents era, he'd stayed and served the family ever since, in many different capacities. Playing the head butler suited Alfred's old age as much as his more secret activities had when he was younger.

"My Lords, my Ladies," Alfred announced, "it may be appropriate to adjourn to a smaller room, given the departure of the majority of the guests. We have brought out refreshments that I think will be appreciated by all."

Bruce chuckled as Master Barry perked up and Clark made a hopeful little sound behind his veil. The smaller room was actually one of the drawing rooms on the main floor, the one with the huge rock fireplace, leather couches and, for tonight anyway, a buffet filled with hearty food and the good wine. Master Barry immediately descended on it while Bruce settled Clark on a cushion next to the fireplace.

When Bruce went to get some of the food for Clark, Roy hovered close to the fireplace as if he couldn't help being protective of Clark. Bruce exchanged an amused and approving look with Oliver. As unhappy as Dick was becoming in the harem, he couldn't be freed. Oliver had no interest in males in his harem but Roy appeared to be quite enamored with Dick. It was a solution that should work, especially if the tentative plans they'd made for an alliance of their families worked out.

"You know who attacked your boy," Lord Arthur said to Bruce.

"I know exactly who it was," Bruce confirmed. "And the only way to see justice done would be to challenge his Majesty for the throne."

"Prince Lex would never allow that," Lord Katar said somewhat more sadly than he probably intended. Lady Shayera chuckled and nudged him with an elbow.

"Actually," Bruce said as he passed the bowl of plate of oatmeal-cranberry cookies to Clark, "he said in the harem that he would allow it."

The other Lords started and stared, so Oliver nodded that it was true. Roy had gone to standing rest, as if he were trying to pretend he wasn't there. It didn't work very well but Bruce had to give him credit for trying. The speculative look in Lord Hal's eyes as he fondled his emerald signet ring made Bruce smile grimly.

"I may yet do it," Bruce sighed. "I don't want to but if I have to I will. Things cannot continue as they have."

He touched Clark's shoulder, smiling at the curious look in Clark's eyes. A little gesture had Clark bending his head and listening hard, the cookie halfway to his mouth. After a second Clark nodded that it was all clear. No one was listening on them magically. Learning that Clark had the ability to hear magic was one of the things that had made being Batman possible. His beloved slave was so much more than anyone expected.

"We're secure," Bruce announced. "No one is listening in magically and one of my people already confirmed that no one stayed behind to cause mischief in the Manor or gardens."

"You're sure?" Master Barry asked around a mouthful of stew.

"Quite," Bruce said. "Clark has… gifts other than the obvious, shall we say."

"Ah," Lord Arthur said with a nod that seemed to imply that Bruce had just confirmed something that he'd suspected. "What of Timothy Drake? King Lionel's attempts to take him as a ward had me worried."

"He's perhaps the second most intelligent person I've ever met," Bruce explained. "I'd put Prince Lex very slightly ahead of him, but only slightly."

"And Dick?" Lord Arthur asked. "I already know that Jason was taken because he was a thief. I'm somewhat surprised that you didn't turn him over to the authorities, though."

"Dick is Roma," Bruce explained, a little annoyed at the questions but it was better to just get the questions out of the way so that they could talk about more important things. "I had intended to adopt him and make him my heir but his Majesty passed the laws outlawing the Roma and ordering their execution so I had little choice but to take him as a slave. As for Jason, I saw no reason to kill a child for doing what he had to to survive."

Lord Arthur looked like he would have liked to ask more questions but Cass appeared at the door. She'd stripped off the maid's uniform and was back in her normal black pants and shirt. As she came and knelt before Bruce, a message in her hand, the others stilled. Bruce took it and frowned.

"Interesting," Bruce said, nodding for Cass to leave. "Prince Lex thinks that King Lionel is going to attempt to ally with the Amazons."

"He can't be allowed to!" Lord Katar declared. "Their power backing his corrupt regime isn't something that decent people would survive."

"Granted," Bruce said. "Lex suggested that we contact Queen Hippolyta first."

"We?" Lord Hal asked with an expression that was guardedly hopeful.

Bruce nodded, using the time spent folding the note up to study the occupants of the room. They were all good people, ones who followed the old ways and who defended the weak and helpless. He had gotten reports of a pair of heroes that closely matched Lord Katar and Lady Shayera in their territory and every pirate ship along the coast lived in fear of the Lord of the Sea's vengeance. His description matched Lord Arthur's to a great degree. Add that to the strange red blur that had been spotted in Master Hall's hometown and the incredible match of Lord Hal's ring to the symbol of the hero the Green Lantern and Bruce thought that he had the core of the League that Lex had suggested.

"Lord Katar is quite right that Lionel has to be stopped," Bruce said, deliberately not using Lionel's title. "Unfortunately, none of us can act openly without risking our families and dependents. Lord Oliver and I have already… taken steps to find other ways to oppose him, to protect our people. It was suggested that perhaps we could ally with other people who felt the same way as we did."

"Steps," Lord Arthur said. It was anything but a question, especially given the smile on his lips.

Bruce looked at Clark, smiling and nodding for him to show them. Clark stood, passed his plate of cookies to Bruce and then took flight. He hovered in midair, looking down at the others calmly. It only took a few seconds of looking at the familiar pose for the gathered people to make the connection. When Clark landed and sat back down on his cushion, Lord Katar cursed under his breath while Master Barry whistled in awe.

"No wonder he wants Clark," Lady Shayera breathed.

"He's known since my gifts manifested," Clark said. "That's why Lex took me as his slave and then gave me to Bruce, to try and protect me from Lionel."

"Then you're Batman," Lord Hal said. "Dick, he must be Nightwing. Jason is the Red Knight. The girl who just left, she'd Batgirl, isn't she?"

"No, Cass has never been Batgirl," Bruce said with a wry chuckle. "She's almost finished her training though and will be starting soon."

Lord Hal looked at Oliver who laughed and pulled out a green mask, nudging Roy to follow suit with his red mask. That prompted a grin from Lord Hal who did something with his ring that transformed his clothes into the green lantern armor. Lady Shayera grinned at Lord Katar who rolled his eyes when Master Barry did something so fast that Bruce literally couldn't see it. The Flash stood in Master Barry's place, bouncing on his toes with excitement.

"I told you we should have brought our toys," Lady Shayera said.

"I suppose I should have listened to you," Lord Katar chuckled. "Pity we can't have show and tell too."

"Hawkman and Hawkwoman," Lord Arthur said with a calm nod. "And I'm obviously Lord of the Sea."

"That's a mouthful," Master Barry quipped.

"I'm hardly going to go for something like 'Aquaman'," Lord Arthur said scornfully. "They generally don't have the time to say anything when I attack anyway and those who report it afterwards have the time to use my proper title."

"What do we do now?" Roy asked just when it looked like the others were going to keep chatting.

Bruce sighed and leaned back into his chair. The others looked to him as though they expected him to be the leader but it was Clark who cleared his throat and captured their attention.

"We contact the Amazons and ask them to send someone to visit," Clark said. "If we can gain their assistance then we'll have a strong enough force to begin to fight Lionel. Also, we need to develop a good idea of what's actually going on. Lex is on our side so he'll be able to feed us information and Tim can make sense of everything we find out. I think it would be good to check with the Oracle to see if we can find out what Lionel wants, what he intends to do. It would also be good to find out what happened to change him all those years ago. He's not the man he used to be when I was young. There should be other heroes we can pull in, like the Manhunter or possibly someone from the Zatara clan. More information and allies first and then we plan how to take Lionel down."

"This is a slave?" Lord Katar murmured to Lady Shayera, who looked as stunned as he did by Clark's directions.

"This is one of _my_ slaves," Bruce said with entirely too much pride in his voice, not that he really cared. "And the Son of the Sun, Superman. Think of him as being in disguise. This is no different than putting him in a suit and thick glasses that obscure his face. What he looks like is not what he is."

That seemed to reassure the others. Bruce supposed that he shouldn't be surprised that they had fallen for the belief that slaves were somehow less human, less intelligent or valuable than free people. It wasn't a new belief, and there wasn't much he could do about it other than taking care of what was his while they brought Lionel down.


End file.
